1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to anti-theft alarms. More particularly, the present invention relates to an alarm system for a golf bag triggered by an attempt to remove a golf club from the golf bag.
2. Description of Prior Art
The golf club securing devices of the prior art can be categorized into two areas; securing devices and indicating devices. Golf bag and club securing devices secure the individual clubs to the bag, or the bag to a stationary object. The indicating devices utilize an audible alarm or visual alarm to either deter theft or remind a golfer that a club has not been replaced in the bag.
Regarding the first area, securing devices, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,863,019 to lewis et al. and 4,538,728 to Lewis each disclose a device for securing golf clubs within the golf bag. Both of these prior art references disclose a member that is attached to the open top of the golf bag that secures the clubs, preventing their removal from the bag. These devices do not include any provision for securing the bag to a stationary object. A thief can easily remove the entire bag, and use a bolt cutter, or similar device, to remove the securing device and access the clubs. Neither of these references utilizes an audible alarm.
Also categorized as a securing device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,043 to McCue et al. that discloses a clip member anchored to the golf bag. The anchoring structure has a lock assembly that has a strong cable wire for securing the bag to a stationary object. The golf bag and club securing device disclosed in McCue et al. further includes a cover comprising a flexible hood which extends over the open top of the golf bag. The hood has a chain enclosed in its hem. The chain engages with the lock assembly of the anchoring structure. The clubs are secured within the golf bag, and the golf bag is secured to a stationary object. However, no audible alarm is included in the system.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,772 to Schuhlen et al. discloses a locking device that has a plurality of elongated shackles that lockingly receive the club shafts. Schuhlen et al. further disclose a cable that can be used to secure the locking device and golf bag to a stationary object. No audible alarm is included as a part of this system.
In each of the prior art references cited thus far, the devices fail to draw any attention to the bag giving the thief ample opportunity to conduct his business. The thief will have time to cut cables or pick a lock without any attention being drawn to his activities.
Referring now to the second area of prior art devices, the indicating devices, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,041,815 to Newton and 5,493,274 to Long each disclose an audible alarm used in conjunction with a golf bag in order to deter theft of the bag or clubs therein. Newton discloses a switch housed in the bottom of the golf bag that will sense either weight or movement of the bag. In the weight sensitive embodiment, removing a single club from the bag will cause the alarm to sound. In the movement embodiment, the alarm is actuated when the bag is moved from its original resting position. The alarm works in the weight sensitive embodiment or the movement embodiment in the alternative depending on how it is set to operate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,274 to Long discloses an alarm that is camouflaged as a golf club. The upper end of the alarm assembly resembles a club head. The siren is hidden in the false club head. A motion sensor and CPU are located further down the shaft of the false club and are hidden in the bag. The CPU will sound an audible alarm when the sensor detects movement of the bag. However, the alarm assembly takes up valuable bag space, eliminating room for playable clubs.
Other indication type golf bag alarm systems are directed to reminding a golfer to replace a club within his bag. These devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,028,909 to Miller, 4,042,918 to Klitzman, 5,565,845 to Hara, and 5,194,856 to Zijlstra. In particular, each of these devices senses and monitors individual clubs, providing a signal, either audible or visual, when a club is missing. Each of these devices is designed to be used during play to remind a golfer when he has forgotten to replace a club.
The devices mentioned above, other than the false club, are an integral part of the golf bag itself. The complex switches, sensors and processing units must be mounted within the golf bag to detect the presence or absence of a club and notify the golfer. Many golfers use more than one bag, i.e. one for carrying, and one for riding, depending on whether or not they are walking a course. In the references discussed above, the alarm is bag specific and not readily movable from one bag to another.
What is needed is an audible alarm system that will draw attention to the bag, and thereby draw attention to a thief who is attempting to remove a club from a bag, without the need for complicated switches and central processing units. The device must be simple enough to transfer from one bag to another so a golfer does not have to invest in expensive golf bag technology to attain the advantage of security for their golf clubs without taking up valuable space in the bag for playable clubs.